New research reports that attackers launched more than 237 cyber operations against space infrastructure from 2023 to 2025.
A recent study states that cyber warfare now threatens satellites and communication networks, noting 237 operations against the space sector between January 2023 and July 2025 during the Gaza conflict.
Researchers at the Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zürich gathered data from social media posts, news stories, and cybercrime forums to document attacks on Israeli space assets and global agencies.
The study identifies June 2025 as the period with the sharpest rise, when Israel and Iran clashed and threat actors carried out 72 operations in one month. This number represents nearly one-third of all incidents logged during the research window, according to author Clémence Poirier.
The report states that cyber operations now follow a broader pattern seen in modern conflicts, echoing activity observed during Russia’s latest invasion of Ukraine.
Investigators recorded that all but one of the groups active in the space sector aligned with pro-Palestinian interests.
The analysis notes that Hamas lacks satellites or any space systems over Gaza, and it suggests that pro-Israeli groups may have acted covertly.
Methods and Targets of the Recorded Operations
In October 2023, ten operations followed Hamas’s armed incursion on October 7 and targeted organisations such as the Israel Space Agency (ISA) and the defence firm Rafael.
The report says that the rapid escalation initially stunned global hacktivists, who needed time to coordinate and select targets.
During the Gaza conflict, hacktivists struck 77 distinct space-related agencies or companies. Rafael, Elbit Systems, and the ISA faced the most pressure, while international bodies such as NASA also appeared on the target list.
The analysis states that attackers focused heavily on aerospace and defence contractors because these companies produce military equipment, not because they control space missions.
More than 70 percent of identified attacks used denial-of-service (DDoS) methods, overwhelming networks with traffic until systems failed for users.
The report explains that DDoS attacks require minimal expertise, allow rapid deployment, and can distract defenders from more advanced intrusions.
Threat actors also carried out data leaks, network intrusions, and breaches.
Some attackers timed data releases to significant moments in the conflict, although researchers admit difficulty verifying those claims and note that actors could have fabricated details.
The study concludes that the high number of publicly discoverable incidents indicates a much larger unseen volume of operations against the space sector.
Escalation Across Conflicts and Growing Strategic Importance
The largest surge in activity occurred when Israel and Iran exchanged direct strikes for 12 days in June 2025, prompting 72 cyber operations against the space sector. During this period, pro-Palestinian and pro-Iranian groups attacked Israeli assets simultaneously.
The report observes that both conflicts influenced each other politically, militarily, and rhetorically, and that groups active in one theatre often launched operations linked to the other.
Hacktivists also adapted techniques from other wars and reused them during the Gaza conflict. The study cites a 2023 DDoS attack by the “Cyber Army of Palestine” against the ISA that employed code resembling tools used by the IT Army of Ukraine.
Although most operations caused little physical or operational impact, the study states that the pattern reveals how space-focused cyber conflict will evolve.
The analysis also argues that cyber operations now form consistent components of modern warfare because hacktivists increasingly pursue influence by targeting actors in the space industry.
The study urges policymakers to create dedicated space-oriented cyber defense strategies to safeguard critical orbital infrastructure from future attacks.
